Original subtitles

Narrator: IT'S BIG, FAST,

AND IT'S KNOWN TO DELIVER THE KNOCKOUT PUNCH.

Woman: THE B-52 IS ABLE TO HOUSE AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF WEAPONS.

Narrator: ITS SPECIALTY: DISTANCE.

Man: NOBODY REALLY KNEW WE HAD THAT GLOBAL REACH.

Narrator: THE B-52 STRATOFORTRESS WAS DESIGNED

TO CARRY THE AIR FORCE'S MOST DANGEROUS PAYLOAD.

Man: IF ONE CRASHED AND A NUCLEAR WEAPON WENT OFF,

IT COULD'VE MEANT WORLD WAR III.

Narrator: THIS 60-YEAR-OLD BOMBER

HAS BEEN FIGHTING LONGER THAN ANY OTHER U.S. AIRCRAFT.

Man: ANY GIANT IS VULNERABLE.

WE'RE LIKE DUCKS IN A SHOOTING GALLERY.

Narrator: AGAINST A CONSTANTLY CHANGING BATTLEFIELD,

IT'S ADAPT OR DIE.

Man: WITH THE B-52 WE WERE DOING SOMETHING

WE HAD NEVER, EVER DONE BEFORE.

Narrator: 2003.

A U.S.-LED COALITION MOVES INTO IRAQ.

[GUNFIRE]

THEIR GOAL: TO REMOVE DICTATOR SADDAM HUSSEIN FROM POWER.

George Bush: SADDAM HUSSEIN MUST LEAVE IRAQ WITHIN 48 HOURS.

REFUSAL TO DO SO WILL RESULT IN MILITARY CONFLICT.

[EXPLOSION]

Narrator: SADDAM ISN'T WILLING TO GO.

HE COMMANDS HIS FORCES TO LAUNCH

MORE THAN A THOUSAND SURFACE-TO-AIR MISSILES

TOWARDS ALLIED AIRCRAFT.

THERE'S ONLY ONE WAY TO TAKE OUT THE MISSILE SITES: BOMBING.

SO THE AIR FORCE SENDS IN ITS MOST RELIABLE BOMBER:

THE B-52 STRATOFORTRESS.

THE B-52: IT'S A LEGEND AMONG AIRCRAFT.

FOR MORE THAN A HALF A CENTURY

IT'S LED THE WAY IN EVERY MAJOR U.S. BOMBING CAMPAIGN.

Seifert: SO, THIS IS THE B-52H STRATOFORTRESS.

HERE IN THE COMMUNITY, WE CALL IT THE BUFF,

WHICH STANDS FOR BIG, UGLY, FAT FELLOW,

ALTHOUGH THAT ACRONYM IS OPEN TO INTERPRETATION.

Narrator: THE B-52 IS 156 FEET LONG, 40 FEET TALL.

EACH WING MEASURES 4,000 SQUARE FEET.

IT'S ONE OF THE LARGEST BOMBERS IN AIR FORCE HISTORY,

AND IT PACKS A DEADLY PUNCH.

Seifert: THE B-52'S GREATEST STRENGTH

HAS ALWAYS BEEN ITS ORDNANCE CAPABILITY.

IT'S BEEN DESIGNED TO CARRY REALLY ANY TYPE OF WEAPON

IN THE AIR FORCE INVENTORY.

Narrator: THE B-52 CARRIES WEAPONS ALL OVER ITS AIRFRAME.

EACH WING HOLDS UP TO NINE WEAPONS...

MISSILES, MINES, SMART AND LASER-GUIDED BOMBS.

INSIDE THERE'S ROOM FOR 27 MORE,

AS WELL AS 8 NUCLEAR CRUISE MISSILES.

THIS GIVES THE BUFF A MASSIVE PAYLOAD

OF DIFFERENT WEAPON CONFIGURATIONS.

THE B-52 CARRIES 70,000 POUNDS OF WEAPONS,

MORE THAN ANY OTHER PLANE IN THE AIR FORCE ARSENAL.

Seifert: IT WOULD TAKE FIGHTERS MULTIPLE TIMES

TO DO WHAT WE CAN DO IN ONE PASS.

Narrator: IN IRAQ, THE QUESTION ISN'T

HOW MUCH THE B-52 CAN CARRY,

IT'S "CAN IT BE PRECISE?"

APRIL 2003.

FAIRFORD AIR FORCE BASE, ENGLAND.

TWO B-52 BOMBERS LINE UP ON THE TARMAC.

Trey Morriss: THE MAIN OBJECTIVE FOR THE USE OF THE B-52

WAS GEARED TOWARDS RADAR CONTROL FACILITIES

OR COMMAND AND CONTROL FACILITIES.

Narrator: COLONEL TREY MORRISS HAS FLOWN IN THE B-52

FOR OVER 25 YEARS.

Morriss: WHEN YOU GET INTO THESE

DENSELY POPULATED AREAS LIKE BAGHDAD,

WE'RE REALLY WORRIED ABOUT THE CIVILIAN POPULATION

OR ANY KIND OF OUTLYING FACILITIES

THAT WE DON'T WANT TO DESTROY.

Narrator: BUT THE BUFF ENTERS WITH A REPUTATION.

SINCE VIETNAM IT'S BEEN CONSIDERED

AN IMPRECISE AND INDISCRIMINATE BOMBER.

IN OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM,

MORRIS AND HIS SQUADRON ARE DETERMINED TO PROVE OTHERWISE.

Morriss: WE WANT TO FLIP THIS STIGMA AROUND

AND MAKE EVERYBODY UNDERSTAND THAT THE B-52 CAN BE

JUST AS PRECISE AS ANY OTHER PLATFORM OUT THERE.

Narrator: 7:00 AM.

MORRISS' B-52 TAKES OFF TOWARDS IRAQ,

ITS TARGET STILL UNKNOWN.

Morriss: WE KNEW THAT WE WOULD BE ASSIGNED TARGETS

ONCE WE ARRIVED IN THE REGION.

WE DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT TYPE OF CIVILIAN POPULATION

MIGHT BE AROUND THAT TARGET UNTIL WE GET THERE.

Narrator: AS THE CREW APPROACHES THE IRAQI BORDER,

A CALL COMES IN FROM COMMAND AND CONTROL.

AN IRAQI RADAR HAS BEEN LOCATED ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF TIKRIT.

IT'S THE B-52'S JOB TO DESTROY IT.

THE ONLY PROBLEM: THE RADAR IS SURROUNDED BY OTHER BUILDINGS.

Morriss: THE PLANNERS AND THE STRATEGISTS

NEEDED JUST THIS SPECIFIC BUILDING TO BE DESTROYED

AND NOT THE OTHER OUTLYING BUILDINGS AROUND IT.

Narrator: MORRISS' TEAM IS READY FOR THE CHALLENGE.

THEIR B-52 IS ARMED WITH A BRAND NEW UPGRADE:

THE ADVANCED TARGETING POD.

THE TARGETING POD PUTS STATE-OF-THE-ART TECHNOLOGY

ON THE AIR FORCE'S OLDEST AIRFRAME.

IT DISPLAYS A HIGH-RES INFRARED IMAGE OF THE TARGET AREA.

THIS ALLOWS THE NAVIGATOR TO LOCATE TARGETS

OVER TEN MILES AWAY.

Lohman: EVEN FROM 40,000 FEET I CAN ACTUALLY I.D. A TARGET

AND FEEL COMFORTABLE PUTTING A WEAPON ON THAT TARGET.

Narrator: THEN, THE NAVIGATOR USES THE POD

TO STEER A LASER-GUIDED BOMB.

Lohman: I CAN ACTUALLY CONTROL WHERE THAT WEAPON IS GOING TO GO

USING THE INTEGRATED TRACK HANDLE

THAT YOU CAN SEE HERE.

Narrator: IT'S A TECHNOLOGY THAT SHOULD ALLOW THE BUFF

TO BOMB WITH PRECISION, IF IT WORKS.

Morriss: AT THIS POINT THERE HAD ONLY BEEN ABOUT 12 MISSIONS

EVEN FLOWN TESTING AND TRAINING,

SO WE FELT THERE WAS A LOT TO PROVE.

Narrator: 30 MILES FROM TIKRIT,

COLONEL MORRISS' B-52 LOOKS FOR AN ENEMY RADAR.

Morriss: YOU CAN SEE THE TARGET AREA,

YOU CAN INDIVIDUALLY SEE BUILDINGS,

YOU CAN SEE CARS DRIVING UP AROUND THE STREETS.

Narrator: THE BUFF'S NAVIGATOR USES HIS LASER

TO LOCATE THE TARGET.

BUT THERE'S ANOTHER FACTOR HE HAS TO ACCOUNT FOR: WEATHER.

Morriss: THROUGH THE TV SCREEN HE CAN SEE WIND BLOWING DUST.

SO HE NEEDS TO ADJUST THAT LASER DESIGNATION POINT

TO ACCOUNT FOR WIND.

Narrator: THE NAVIGATOR LOCKS THE TARGETING LASER

ON TO THE RADAR FACILITY.

HE READIES THE LASER-GUIDED BOMB...

AND FIRES.

Morriss: YOU CAN FEEL IT.

THERE'S A DEFINITE JOLT IN THE AIRPLANE

WHEN A WEAPON LEAVES AN AIRCRAFT.

Narrator: THE FIVE-MAN CREW WAITS ANXIOUSLY.

IT TAKES THE BOMB ALMOST A MINUTE TO REACH THE GROUND.

Morriss: MY MAIN CONCERN WAS, IS THIS WEAPON, AS IT'S FALLING,

GOING TO PERFORM LIKE WE WANT IT TO?

Narrator: THE NAVIGATOR CONCENTRATES

ON KEEPING THE TARGETING POD STEADY.

THE LIVES OF INNOCENT CIVILIANS ARE IN HIS HANDS.

Morriss: HE'S GIVING US UPDATES THROUGH THAT TIMING.

YOU KNOW, HE'S SAYING 25 SECONDS, 20, 10, 5,

AND WHEN HE WENT DOWN TO ZERO, THE WEAPON DIDN'T DETONATE.

THERE WAS ABOUT 3 SECONDS OF TERROR

OF WHAT HAPPENED TO THE WEAPON?

AND FINALLY YOU SEE IT COME INTO THE TV SCREEN.

WHEN THE WEAPON HIT THAT TARGET

EXACTLY IN THE MIDDLE OF THE BUILDING,

IT WAS A GREAT FEELING,

NO COLLATERAL DAMAGE, AND IT STRUCK WITH PRECISION.

Narrator: OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM

GIVES B-52 PILOTS SOMETHING NEW TO BOAST ABOUT:

THEY'RE AS ACCURATE AS ANY OTHER PRECISION BOMBER.

Morriss: THE CRITICS OF THE B-52 OFTEN FELT THAT THE POD

WAS NOT THE PROPER CAPABILITY TO PUT ON THIS PLATFORM

BECAUSE IT WAS THE MINDSET WAS THAT IS A FIGHTER CAPABILITY.

BUT IT'S OBVIOUS THE RESULTS SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES.

THE B-52 IS JUST NOT A MASS BOMBER ANYMORE.

IT IS A PRECISE WEAPON.

Narrator: PRECISION BOMBING: IT'S THE LATEST TACTIC

OF A PLANE BUILT TO FIGHT A VERY DIFFERENT KIND OF WAR.

AUGUST 1945. WORLD WAR II.

A U.S. B-29 BOMBER DROPS THE FIRST-EVER NUCLEAR BOMB

OVER HIROSHIMA, JAPAN.

THREE DAYS LATER, IT DROPS ANOTHER ON NAGASAKI.

THE RESULTS CHANGE THE NATURE OF MODERN WARFARE.

CONFLICTS CAN NOW BE WON OR LOST BY A SINGLE BOMB.

ENGINEERS WORK AGGRESSIVELY

TO DEVELOP HEAVIER, MORE POWERFUL WARHEADS.

BUT THE AIR FORCE'S GO-TO BOMBER STRUGGLES TO KEEP UP.

Layne Karafantis: THE B-29 WAS RELIANT

UPON HAVING OFFSHORE MILITARY BASES,

AND OFTENTIMES COULDN'T EVEN RETURN TO THOSE BASES

ONCE THEY HAD DROPPED THEIR PAYLOADS.

Narrator: LAYNE KARAFANTIS IS THE CURATOR

OF MODERN MILITARY AIRCRAFT

AT THE SMITHSONIAN NATIONAL AIR AND SPACE MUSEUM.

Karafantis: THE AIR FORCE NEEDED TO BUILD AN AIRCRAFT

THAT WAS GOING TO BE ABLE TO LEAVE THE UNITED STATES,

GO TO ENEMY TERRITORY, DROP NUCLEAR WARHEADS

AND RETURN HOME ALL IN ONE FLIGHT.

Narrator: FEBRUARY 1946.

THE PENTAGON.

THE AIR FORCE MAKES A REQUEST FOR A NEW LONG-RANGE BOMBER.

MARTIN, CONVAIR, AND BOEING MAKE A BID FOR THE JOB.

THE REQUEST CALLS FOR AN AIRCRAFT

WITH A SPEED OF 300 MILES PER HOUR,

A 5,000-MILE COMBAT RADIUS,

AND A 10,000-POUND NUCLEAR BOMB PAYLOAD.

Bill Yenne: IT WAS WIDELY ASSUMED

THAT IF THERE WAS ANOTHER WORLD WAR,

IT WOULD BE A NUCLEAR WAR.

Narrator: BILL YENNE IS AN AIR FORCE HISTORIAN

AND AUTHOR ON THE B-52.

Yenne: IF WE'RE GOING TO BE SENDING BOMBERS

INTO THE ENEMY HEARTLAND,

IT WAS GOING TO BE SENDING THEM IN WITH NUCLEAR WEAPONS.

Narrator: ENGINEERS STRUGGLE TO MEET THE REQUIREMENTS.

PROTOTYPES ARE EITHER TOO FAST TO HAVE RELIABLE RANGE

OR TOO HEAVY TO OUTRUN THE ENEMY.

Yenne: THE DEVELOPMENT OF BOMBERS HAS ALWAYS BEEN

ABOUT THE THREE CHALLENGES OF SPEED, PAYLOAD AND RANGE.

AS YOU ADD TO ONE, YOU HAVE TO SUBTRACT FROM ANOTHER.

Narrator: SOMETHING ELSE ADDS TO THE PRESSURE...

THE COLD WAR.

THE U.S. MUST ACT FAST TO MAINTAIN THE UPPER HAND.

Yenne: THE IDEA FOR AN INTERCONTINENTAL BOMBER

DID NOT OCCUR IN A VACUUM.

THE SOVIET UNION WAS DOING EXACTLY THE SAME THING

AT EXACTLY THE SAME TIME.

Narrator: GLOBAL DOMINANCE RELIES ON ONE THING...

Man: 5, 4, 3, 2, 1...

Narrator: WHO CAN GET THEIR BOMBS IN THE AIR FIRST?

1948.

BOEING WINS A CONTRACT FOR THE NEW AIR FORCE BOMBER.

FOUR YEARS LATER, IN SEATTLE, WASHINGTON,

THEY REVEAL THE NEW PLANE TO THE PUBLIC.

Yenne: THE B-52 DESIGN AS IT WAS PRESENTED, APPROVED, AND ORDERED

WAS THE LARGEST JET AIRPLANE

THAT HAD EVER BEEN, EVER BEEN PRESENTED SERIOUSLY.

AT THAT TIME JET AIRCRAFT WITH TWO OR FOUR ENGINES

WERE PUSHING THE EDGE OF THE ENVELOPE.

B-52 WAS DESIGNED WITH EIGHT ENGINES.

IT HAD MORE POWER, REMARKABLE DESIGN.

Narrator: THE B-52 ISN'T JUST BIG, IT'S FAST.

THANKS TO EIGHT TURBOFAN ENGINES,

THE 185,000-POUND BEAST FLIES OVER 600 MILES PER HOUR.

Seifert: THE B-52 HAS 8 PRATT AND WHITNEY TF-33 ENGINES

FOR A TOTAL OF 136,000 POUNDS OF THRUST.

Narrator: ENGINES GIVE THE BUFF POWER, WINGS GIVE IT RANGE.

AT 185 FEET LONG, THE BUFF'S WINGS ALLOW FOR INCREASED LIFT,

SUPPORTING OVER TEN HOURS OF NONSTOP FLIGHT.

IT IS ALSO ONE OF THE FIRST AIRCRAFT EVER

TO BE DESIGNED WITH SWEPT WINGS.

AT AN ANGLE OF 35 DEGREES BACK,

THE UNIQUE WING SHAPE STREAMLINES THE B-52 IN FLIGHT.

BUT THE BOMBER ISN'T JUST BIG ON THE OUTSIDE.

INSIDE IT HOSTS A DOUBLE-DECKER COCKPIT.

Seifert: SOMETHING UNIQUE TO THE B-52 IS OUR CREW SIZE.

WE HAVE TWO PILOTS UP FRONT, TWO NAVIGATORS DOWNSTAIRS,

AND AN ELECTRONIC WARFARE OFFICER IN THE BACK.

WITH OUR VARIETY OF MISSION SETS,

THAT REALLY ALLOWS US TO COVER ALL OUR BASES.

Narrator: THE FIVE-PERSON COCKPIT MAXIMIZES EFFICIENCY,

GIVING THE B-52 NOT ONLY BRAWN, BUT BRAINS.

Seifert: WITH FIVE PEOPLE ON THE BOMBER ALL DOING THEIR JOBS,

IT MAKES FOR A REALLY EFFICIENT AND EFFECTIVE BOMBER.

Narrator: AT BOEING FIELD, THE YB-52 TAXIS ONTO THE RUNWAY.

[CHEERING]

THE CROWDS ROAR AS IT STARTS TO ASCEND.

[CHEERING]

Yenne: THERE WAS SMOKE, THERE WAS FIRE,

THERE WAS THUNDERING, RUMBLING,

AND TO SEE THIS THING COMING DOWN THE RUNWAY

WAS AN INCREDIBLE EXPERIENCE.

Narrator: IN JUST MOMENTS THE MASSIVE BOMBER IS AIRBORNE.

THE YB-52'S TEST FLIGHT LASTS THREE HOURS AND EIGHT MINUTES.

IT'S THE LONGEST MAIDEN FLIGHT EVER.

Karafantis: THE ROLLOUT WAS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT.

THIS WAS GOING TO SHOWCASE AMERICA'S ABILITY

TO DELIVER A RETALIATORY STRIKE AGAINST THE SOVIET UNION.

Narrator: THE SOVIETS TAKE NOTE OF THE AIR FORCE'S NEW WEAPON,

AND QUICKLY COUNTER WITH A BOMBER OF THEIR OWN.

Yenne: IT WAS NO COINCIDENCE THAT WITHIN A FEW MONTHS

OF THE B-52 MAKING ITS DEBUT FLIGHT

THAT IN THE SOVIET UNION THE TUPOLEV BEAR MADE ITS DEBUT.

Narrator: THE TUPOLEV TU-95 BEAR.

IT HAS THE CAPABILITY TO REACH THE UNITED STATES,

AND IT'S NUCLEAR CAPABLE, TOO.

Yenne: WITH THE ADVENT OF THE BEAR,

THE PLAYING FIELD HAD BEEN LEVELED.

Narrator: BUT A LEVEL PLAYING FIELD ISN'T ENOUGH.

THE U.S. WANTS THE UPPER HAND.

ENTER AIR FORCE GENERAL CURTIS LEMAY.

HE COMES UP WITH A PLAN

TO SHOW OFF AMERICA'S NEWEST NUCLEAR WEAPONS.

AND HIS PLAN RELIES ON THE B-52.

MAY 21, 1956.

BIKINI ATOLL.

IN A TEST CODE-NAMED CHEROKEE, THE B-52 DROPS

A 7,600-POUND HYDROGEN BOMB CALLED THE MARK 15.

THE EXPLOSION IS 3.8 MEGATONS.

THE NUCLEAR CLOUD REACHES 94,000 FEET.

IT IS ALMOST 200 TIMES MORE POWERFUL

THAN THE BOMB DROPPED ON NAGASAKI IN WORLD WAR II.

THE TEST ALLOWS GENERAL LEMAY TO SHOW OFF HIS FIREPOWER.

HIS NEXT STEP:

TO LET THE SOVIETS KNOW THAT HE CAN ALSO DELIVER IT.

LESS THAN A YEAR LATER,

LEMAY PUTS OPERATION POWER FLITE INTO ACTION.

IN JANUARY OF 1957 HE SENDS THREE B-52s

ON NONSTOP FLIGHTS AROUND THE WORLD.

LEMAY HOPES THE MISSION

WILL PROVE THE B-52'S UNMATCHED RANGE.

Yenne: IF IT COULD FLY AROUND THE WORLD WITHOUT STOPPING,

IT COULD CERTAINLY PERFORM THE MISSION

OF REACHING INTO THE SOVIET UNION.

Narrator: THE FLIGHTS ARE A SUCCESS.

BUT LEMAY WANTS MORE THAN DEMONSTRATION FLIGHTS.

HE WANTS TO PUT THE B-52 ON PERMANENT PATROL.

IN 1960, LEMAY SETS INTO MOTION

A BRAND-NEW NUCLEAR DETERRENCE PROGRAM.

HE USES HIS B-52s TO BRING NUCLEAR WARHEADS

TO THE SOVIETS' DOORSTEP EVERY SINGLE DAY.

Yenne: OPERATION CHROME DOME WAS A 24-HOUR-ALERT MISSION

IN WHICH B-52s WERE TASKED WITH A SPECIFIC STRATEGIC TARGET

WITHIN THE SOVIET UNION.

AND IF THE COLD WAR TURNED HOT, THEY WOULD BE PREPARED

TO IMMEDIATELY FLY INTO THE SOVIET UNION

AND STRIKE STRATEGIC TARGETS THERE.

Narrator: AERIAL REFUELING ALLOWS THE B-52s

TO CIRCLE SOVIET BORDERS AROUND THE CLOCK.

CHROME DOME THRUSTS THE BUFF

ONTO THE FRONT LINE OF THE NEW NUCLEAR BATTLEGROUND.

AT LEAST 12 NUCLEAR-ARMED B-52s ARE AIRBORNE AT A TIME.

Yenne: EACH OF THE B-52s ON OPERATION CHROME DOME

HAD A TARGETING ENVELOPE ABOARD.

THESE WERE SEALED ENVELOPES

THAT WERE GIVEN TO THE AIRCRAFT COMMANDER

AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MISSION.

THEY REMAINED SEALED

UNTIL THE AIRPLANE GOT ITS GREEN LIGHT

TO ATTACK THE SOVIET UNION.

[HORN BLOWS]

Narrator: CREWS THAT AREN'T ON PATROL

ARE ON 24-HOUR GROUND ALERT.

Yenne: B-52s BASED IN THE UNITED STATES

WERE COCKED AND LOADED,

READY TO TAKE OFF WITH 15 MINUTES' NOTICE

TO FLY SECONDARY STRIKES INTO THE SOVIET UNION.

Narrator: LEMAY BELIEVES HIS NUCLEAR B-52s ARE A DETERRENCE.

BUT WITH EVERY FLIGHT, THE ODDS OF AN ACCIDENT GROW.

Karafantis: THE FEAR IS THAT SOMETHING IS GOING TO MALFUNCTION;

MAYBE WITHIN THE PLANE'S HARDWARE,

AND THEN THE PLANE WILL CRASH,

AND YOU WORRY ABOUT WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN TO THOSE BOMBS.

Yenne: IF ONE CRASHED AND A NUCLEAR WEAPON WENT OFF,

IT WOULD HAVE BEEN DISASTROUS.

IF IT WAS MISINTERPRETED,

IT COULD HAVE MEANT WORLD WAR III.

Narrator: SOON ENOUGH, THE B-52s ARE PUSHED TO THEIR LIMIT.

1961.

GOLDSBORO, NORTH CAROLINA.

A STRATOFORTRESS CARRYING TWO FOUR-MEGATON NUCLEAR BOMBS

CRASHES FROM A MAJOR FUEL LEAK MID-FLIGHT.

Man: IT WAS JUST LIKE HAIL FAILING THERE.

FRAGMENTS WERE COMING DOWN, DIRT OR ROCK OR SOMETHING.

Reporter: DID ANY OF THEM HIT YOUR HOUSE?

Man: OH, YEAH.

Karafantis: THE HYDROGEN BOMBS WENT TO THE GROUND,

AND ALTHOUGH THEY DIDN'T DETONATE,

ON ONE OF THE BOMBS

IT ALMOST BYPASSED ALL OF THE SECURITY MEASURES.

SO, IT WAS KIND OF A HINT OF WHAT MIGHT HAPPEN

IF THERE WAS SOMETHING WRONG

WITH THESE PLANES MALFUNCTIONING.

Yenne: CRITICS OF THE ONGOING NUCLEAR ALERT MISSIONS

WITH LIVE WEAPONS ABOARD

WERE ESPECIALLY FEARFUL OF AN ACCIDENT

INVOLVING A DETONATION OVER INTERNATIONAL BORDERS.

Narrator: DESPITE THE CRASH,

CHROME DOME OPERATIONS CONTINUE IN FULL FORCE.

IN 1966, DISASTER STRIKES.

A FULLY ARMED B-52 COLLIDES WITH A REFUELING TANKER OVER SPAIN.

THE PLANE AND ITS FOUR NUCLEAR BOMBS

CRASH INTO THE UNSUSPECTING ALLY.

IT'S A DISASTER THAT JUST MIGHT PUT THOUSANDS OF LIVES AT STAKE.

A NUCLEAR-ARMED B-52 COLLIDES WITH A REFUELING TANKER

OVER PALOMARES, SPAIN.

THE PLANE, ALONG WITH FOUR THERMONUCLEAR BOMBS,

HITS THE QUIET FISHING TOWN.

Yenne: WHEN SOME OF THE BOMBS CAME LOOSE,

THERE WAS A NATURAL FEAR

THAT THERE COULD BE A NUCLEAR EXPLOSION OR A RADIATION LEAK.

Narrator: THREE BOMBS STRIKE LAND.

ONE FALLS INTO THE NEARBY MEDITERRANEAN.

Karafantis: THIS OPENED THE DOORS FOR INTERNATIONAL CONCERN

OVER WHAT THESE HOVERING AIRCRAFT WITH NUCLEAR BOMBS

MIGHT MEAN FOR COUNTRIES ABROAD.

Narrator: IN 1968, ANOTHER B-52 CRASHES.

THIS TIME, IN GREENLAND.

NUCLEAR DEBRIS COVERS THREE SQUARE MILES.

Karafantis: SOME HYDROGEN BOMBS WERE RELEASED DURING THE CRASH,

AND STRATEGIC AIR COMMAND SAID,

"OKAY, ENOUGH WITH THE CONSTANT CIRCLING B-52s."

Narrator: THE CHROME DOME PROGRAM IS CANCELLED.

BUT NO SOONER DOES THE NUCLEAR MISSION VANISH

THAN THE B-52 TAKES UP A NEW ROLE,

HALFWAY AROUND THE WORLD.

1968.

THE U.S. IS DEEP INTO AN AIR CAMPAIGN THROUGHOUT VIETNAM.

[RADIO CHATTER]

Narrator: IT'S CALLED "ARC LIGHT,"

AND THE AIR FORCE MAKES THE B-52 ITS PRINCIPAL BOMBER.

Yenne: DURING THE VIETNAM WAR, THE B-52,

BECAUSE OF ITS HUGE SIZE,

TOOK ON A CONVENTIONAL MISSION DROPPING NON-NUCLEAR IRON BOMBS.

THIS WAS THE FIRST USE OF THE B-52 ACTUALLY IN COMBAT.

Narrator: IT ISN'T LONG BEFORE THE BUFFS SHOW

JUST HOW MUCH DAMAGE THEY CAN DO.

A YEAR INTO THE WAR

THE B-52s DROP AN AVERAGE OF 8,000 TONS OF BOMBS A MONTH.

THEY QUICKLY GAIN A REPUTATION

AS INDISCRIMINATE "CARPET BOMBERS,"

DESTROYING MILES OF NORTH VIETNAMESE COUNTRYSIDE

WITH EVERY BOMBING RUN.

THE NORTH VIETNAMESE STRIKE BACK WITH EVERYTHING THEY HAVE,

INCLUDING THEIR BRAND-NEW SOVIET-MADE MISSILES.

Karafantis: SOVIET SURFACE-TO-AIR MISSILE TECHNOLOGY

WAS RAPIDLY INCREASING,

AND THIS WAS PUTTING EVEN HIGH-FLYING BOMBERS,

SUCH AS THE B-52, AT RISK.

Narrator: THE MISSILE'S RADAR HAS A RANGE OF UP TO 18 MILES.

THE B-52'S MAXIMUM ALTITUDE IS ONLY NINE.

Karafantis: EFFECTIVELY, THIS MADE THE B-52 A SITTING DUCK.

Yenne: THE AIR FORCE WAS FACED WITH A DILEMMA;

EITHER FIND A WAY TO DEFEND THE B-52 AGAINST THIS THREAT

OR GET RID OF IT ALTOGETHER.

Narrator: TO COMBAT THE ENEMY RADAR,

THE AIR FORCE BEGINS A PROGRAM KNOWN AS RIVET RAMBLER,

INSTALLING AN ALL-NEW ELECTRONIC COUNTERMEASURE SYSTEM

INTO THE B-52s.

THE NEW HARDWARE IS DESIGNED

TO JAM THE SIGNALS OF ENEMY MISSILE RADAR

AND MAKE THE B-52s UNDETECTABLE.

THE MODIFICATIONS COME JUST IN TIME.

IN DECEMBER OF 1972

PEACE TALKS BETWEEN NORTH VIETNAM AND THE U.S.

COME TO A STALEMATE.

PRESIDENT NIXON ORDERS A MAJOR AIR OFFENSIVE

TO PUSH TALKS BACK ON THE TABLE,

CODENAMED OPERATION LINEBACKER II.

THE B-52s PLAY A KEY ROLE.

ANDERSEN AIR FORCE BASE, GUAM.

B-52 CREWMEMBERS SCRAMBLE FOR THE UPCOMING MISSION.

Man: ROLL CALL, CAPTAIN DILWORTH.

Toby Pugh: ON THE WAY TO THE BRIEFING ROOM

IT WAS OBVIOUS THAT SOMETHING BIG WAS ABOUT TO HAPPEN

BECAUSE THE AIR BASE WAS EERILY SILENT.

Narrator: CAPTAIN TOBY PUGH WAS WITH THE 72nd STRATEGIC WING

DURING THE VIETNAM WAR.

Pugh: THE BRIEFING OFFICER STOOD UP AND SAID,

"GOOD EVENING, GENTLEMEN. YOUR TARGET FOR TONIGHT IS..."

AND HE ROLLED UP THE MAP,

AND THERE WAS A RED STAR IN THE MIDDLE OF DOWNTOWN HANOI.

Narrator: HANOI IS NORTH VIETNAM'S CAPITAL CITY,

IT'S PROTECTED BY HUNDREDS OF SURFACE-TO-AIR MISSILES.

Pugh: WE KNEW WE WERE GOING TO BE THREATENED BY EVERYTHING

THAT WAS AVAILABLE TO THE NORTH VIETNAMESE.

IT WAS PROBABLY THE MOST HEAVILY DEFENDED TARGET

THAT HAD EVER BEEN ATTACKED.

Narrator: IT'S THE PERFECT OPPORTUNITY

TO TEST THE B-52'S NEW ELECTRONIC UPGRADES,

WHICH ALL HINGE ON A SINGLE CREW POSITION:

THE ELECTRONIC WARFARE OFFICER.

Man: ROGER, CO-PILOT,

JUST THE NORMAL ACQUISITION SIGNALS ON,

NO THREATS AT THIS TIME.

Narrator: BY SENDING COUNTER SIGNALS,

THE B-52'S ELECTRONIC WARFARE OFFICER

CAN BLOCK, OR JAM, ENEMY RADAR.

Loucks: SO HERE YOU'LL ACTUALLY SEE SOME OF THE ANTENNAS

THAT THE ELECTRONIC WARFARE OFFICER USES

TO IDENTIFY A THREAT AND THEN PUT JAMMING BACK ON THAT THREAT.

Narrator: A SUCCESSFUL JAM MAKES THE B-52 UNTRACEABLE.

BUT THE TECHNOLOGY IS NO GUARANTEE OF SUCCESS.

Loucks: IF THE ELECTRONIC WARFARE OFFICER

IS UNABLE TO COUNTER OR IDENTIFY A CERTAIN THREAT,

IT LEAVES THE B-52 OPEN TO ENEMY RADAR,

AND ULTIMATELY THE RESULTS COULD BE DEADLY.

Narrator: IN GUAM, OVER 100 FULLY LOADED B-52s

TAXI TO THE RUNWAY.

Pugh: EVERY PARKING STUB THAT THEY COULD FIND

HAD A B-52 ON IT.

WE HAD NEVER SEEN SO MANY B-52s ALL IN ONE PLACE AT ONE TIME.

Narrator: THE MISSION CALLS FOR THREE WAVES OF ATTACK.

PUGH'S B-52 IS IN THE SECOND WAVE.

WHEN IT ARRIVES OVER HANOI

THE ELEMENT OF SURPRISE WILL BE LONG GONE.

Pugh: WE WERE ALL FLYING ON THE SAME HEADING AND ALTITUDE

AND AT THE SAME AIR SPEED.

THE LOGIC WAS, IF WE ALL FLEW ON THE SAME ROUTE

THAT WE WOULDN'T RUN INTO EACH OTHER.

BUT THAT ALSO MADE IT POSSIBLE FOR THE GROUND FORCES

TO DETERMINE WHERE WE WERE GOING TO BE.

WE WERE SORT OF LIKE DUCKS IN A ROW IN A SHOOTING GALLERY.

Narrator: PUGH IS THE ELECTRONIC WARFARE OFFICER ON THE MISSION.

IT IS HIS FIRST TIME JAMMING IN COMBAT.

THE CREW MUST PUT ALL OF THEIR FAITH

INTO HIS ABILITY TO BLOCK OUT THREATS.

Pugh: AS SOON AS WE CROSSED THE BORDER INTO NORTH VIETNAM,

THE RADAR ENVIRONMENT GOT VERY BUSY.

[RADIO CHATTER]

AND IT WAS FILLED WITH A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT KINDS OF SIGNALS,

ALL OF WHICH WERE TRYING TO HONE IN ON US.

Narrator: 10 MINUTES FROM THE DROP ZONE,

THE BUFF HAS COMPANY...

A NORTH VIETNAMESE MIG FIGHTER JET.

Pugh: COMING OVER THE CITY OF HANOI,

WE BEGAN TO GET SIGNALS FROM MIG AIRCRAFT.

THEY WERE NOT REALLY THREAT SIGNALS,

BUT THEY WERE TRYING TO ACQUIRE US.

Narrator: OUT OF RANGE OF THE B-52'S GUNNER,

THE CREW CAN ONLY WAIT.

Pugh: AND HE WAS JUST SORT OF TOYING WITH US.

AND THEN HE DISAPPEARED.

WE THINK WHAT HAPPENED IS,

THAT HE WAS FLYING ALONG WITH US FIGURING OUT WHERE WE WERE,

TRANSMITTING THAT INFORMATION TO THE PEOPLE ON THE GROUND.

ELECTRONIC COUNTERMEASURES IS SORT OF A CHESS GAME IN THE SKY.

YOU'RE TRYING TO ANTICIPATE THE MOVES

THAT THE OTHER PEOPLE WILL MAKE,

YOU'RE TRYING TO MAKE MOVES THAT WILL CONFUSE THE OPPONENT.

Narrator: PUGH'S JAMMING WORKS.

NO MISSILES ARE ABLE TO LOCK ON TO HIS AIRCRAFT.

BUT AS THE FIRST WAVE OF B-52s REACHES HANOI,

ITS PREDICTABLE FLIGHT PATH BLOWS ITS COVER.

Pugh: VERY SHORTLY AFTER THAT THE SAM SIGNALS CAME UP,

AND THAT'S WHEN THEY STARTED FIRING AT US.

[ALARM SOUNDING]

Narrator: THE BOMBERS MUST STAY ON TRACK

OR RISK MISSING THEIR TARGET.

BUT THEY ARE HEADED STRAIGHT INTO THE LINE OF FIRE.

[ALARM SOUNDING]

Pugh: THAT'S WHEN THE THREAT WAS THE HIGHEST FOR US.

THE CONCENTRATION LEVEL OF EVERYBODY IN THE CREW

IS SO COMPLETELY FOCUSED.

IT IS PROBABLY THE MOST CONCENTRATED I'VE BEEN

ON ANYTHING IN MY LIFE AT THAT MOMENT.

Narrator: FINALLY, PUGH AND HIS CREW ARE OVER THE TARGET.

THE NAVIGATOR PULLS THE LEVER, AND THE BOMB DOORS OPEN.

THE B-52'S 108 BOMBS DROP.

BUT THERE IS NO TIME TO SEE IF THEY HIT.

Pugh: WE HAD JUST ENOUGH TIME TO COMPLETE THE WEAPONS RELEASE,

CLOSE THE BOMB BAY DOORS, MAKE THE HARD LEFT TURN.

WE'RE TALKING 60 DEGREES OF BANK,

WHICH IS HUGE FOR A B-52.

Narrator: OUT OF THE LINE OF FIRE,

THE CREW HEADS TOWARDS THE PACIFIC.

Pugh: EXITING THE TARGET AREA HAD A SENSE OF RELIEF

THAT WE HAD COMPLETED THE MISSION WE'D SET OUT TO DO.

AND THAT'S... THAT'S WHAT FLYING IS ALL ABOUT.

Narrator: THAT NIGHT, B-52s STRIKE

MORE THAN 90% OF ASSIGNED TARGETS.

THROUGHOUT THE NEXT TEN DAYS, 15 B-52s ARE SHOT DOWN,

BUT THE MISSIONS HAVE A STAGGERING SUCCESS RATE.

THE BUFFS DROP OVER 15,000 TONS OF MUNITIONS OVER NORTH VIETNAM,

DODGING MORE THAN 1,200 SAMS.

IT'S A MAJOR TRIUMPH FOR THE AGING BOMBER.

Yenne: THE VIETNAM WAR REALLY DEMONSTRATED

THE CAPABILITY OF THE B-52 AS A SYSTEM

TO KEEP PACE WITH THE CHANGES IN THE MISSION

AND THE CHANGES IN WARFARE.

Narrator: BUT NO SOONER IS THE B-52 BACK IN THE U.S.

THAN IT HAS TO FACE DOWN ANOTHER THREAT,

THIS TIME FROM WITHIN ITS OWN RANKS.

1974.

THE AIR FORCE DEBUTS ITS BRAND-NEW BOMBER:

THE ROCKWELL B-1A.

Yenne: MAJOR STRATEGIC SYSTEMS LIKE THE B-52

WERE BEING REPLACED AT A VERY RAPID RATE.

IT WAS ONLY NATURAL THAT THE AIR FORCE

SHOULD START THINKING ABOUT A POTENTIAL REPLACEMENT.

Narrator: THE B-1A IS UNIQUELY DESIGNED

TO COMBAT ADVANCED SOVIET DEFENSES.

ADJUSTABLE WINGS PROVIDE INCREASED ACCELERATION,

ALLOWING IT TO FLY LOW AND FAST UNDER SOVIET RADAR.

Yenne: IT HAD THE CAPABILITY TO DELIVER NUCLEAR WEAPONS

DEEP INTO THE SOVIET UNION

WITH MUCH GREATER SPEED THAN THE B-52.

Narrator: THREE SEPARATE BOMB BAYS

GIVE IT A LARGER NUCLEAR PAYLOAD THAN THE BIGGER B-52.

ITS ONLY DRAWBACK: COST.

ITS $102 MILLION PRICE TAG TAKES CENTER STAGE IN AN ELECTION.

Karafantis: DURING HIS PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION CAMPAIGN,

JIMMY CARTER SAID THAT HE WANTED TO CUT THE B-1 PROGRAM

DUE TO ITS HIGH COST.

Narrator: IF THE B-1 PROGRAM GOES THROUGH,

THE BUFF WILL END UP IN THE BONEYARD.

IT LOOKS AS IF THE B-52'S FUTURE WILL COME DOWN TO A VOTE.

1976.

AFTER OVER 20 YEARS IN SERVICE,

THE B-52'S FATE COMES DOWN TO AN ELECTION.

Gerald Ford: IN MY OPINION...

Narrator: PRESIDENT GERALD FORD WANTS TO BUILD THE B-1 BOMBER,

A MOVE THAT WILL SEND THE BUFF PACKING.

BUT RIVAL JIMMY CARTER WANTS TO KEEP THE B-52 GOING.

Karafantis: AFTER JIMMY CARTER WON THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION,

THE B-1 BOMBER PROGRAM WAS CANCELLED,

AND THIS, IN TURN, GAVE THE B-52 A NEW LEASE ON LIFE.

Narrator: THE AIR FORCE GETS TO WORK

IN KEEPING THE B-52 WITH THE TIMES.

IN 1982 THEY LOAD ITS INTERNAL ROTARY LAUNCHER

WITH THEIR NEWEST WEAPON:

THE AGM-86 CRUISE MISSILE.

WITH A RANGE OF 1,500 MILES, THE MISSILE ALLOWS THE B-52

TO STRIKE FROM NEARLY ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD.

B-52 PILOTS ARE DETERMINED TO PROVE THE WEAPON'S WORTH,

AND EIGHT YEARS LATER THEY'RE ABLE TO PUT THEM TO THE TEST.

1990.

IRAQI DICTATOR SADDAM HUSSEIN

ORDERS HIS ARMY INTO NEIGHBORING KUWAIT.

THE U.N. SECURITY COUNCIL ISSUES A DEADLINE

FOR IRAQ TO WITHDRAW ITS TROOPS.

George H.W. Bush: NO NATION WILL BE PERMITTED

TO BRUTALLY ASSAULT ITS NEIGHBOR.

Narrator: IRAQ REFUSES TO GIVE IN,

SO COALITION FORCES PREPARE FOR A MASSIVE AIR WAR.

THE FIRST AIRCRAFT UP: THE B-52.

JANUARY 16th.

BARKSDALE AIR FORCE BASE, LOUISIANA.

B-52 CREWS PREPARE THEIR AIRCRAFT.

John Romano: WE WERE THE ONES THAT WERE GOING TO BE USED

AS A FIRST STRIKE BEFORE THE WAR ACTUALLY STARTED.

Narrator: CAPTAIN JOHN ROMANO WAS A B-52 AIRCRAFT COMMANDER

DURING OPERATION DESERT STORM.

Romano: WE WANTED TO ELIMINATE THE COMMUNICATIONS FACILITIES

AS WELL AS RADAR FACILITIES, ENEMY AIR DEFENSE.

SO, IT WOULD MAKE IT POSSIBLE FOR THE FIGHTER PILOTS

TO COME IN THERE AND ACTUALLY EXECUTE THEIR MISSION.

Narrator: THE MISSION'S CODENAME: OPERATION SECRET SQUIRREL.

IF IT'S SUCCESSFUL, THE B-52 WILL FLY 14,000 MILES

OVER 34 1/2 HOURS,

THE LONGEST IT'S EVER BEEN FLOWN IN COMBAT OPERATIONS.

Romano: WE KNEW THIS WAS LIKE A HISTORY-MAKING MISSION,

SO WE WERE DEFINITELY GEARED UP TO GET THIS GOING

AND TAKE CARE OF WHAT WE NEEDED TO DO.

Narrator: THIS MISSION ALSO HAS ANOTHER FIRST:

IT'S THE COMBAT DEBUT OF THE AGM-86C CRUISE MISSILE.

THE MISSILE WILL ALLOW THE BOMBER TO STRIKE IRAQI RADARS

FROM OVER A THOUSAND MILES AWAY,

KEEPING THE BUFF OUT OF RANGE OF IRAQI SURFACE-TO-AIR MISSILES.

Romano: HAVING THIS NEW WEAPON MEANT A BIG DEAL

BECAUSE YOU DON'T HAVE TO PUT ANYBODY IN HARM'S WAY.

Narrator: CAPTAIN ROMANO AND HIS CREW

TAKE OFF AT DAWN FROM LOUISIANA.

SIX OTHERS FOLLOW BEHIND.

THE AIRCRAFT ISN'T STEALTHY BY A LONG SHOT.

BUT IN THIS MISSION, IT HAS A DISGUISE.

FLIGHT CONTROL HAS REPROGRAMMED ITS RADAR SIGNATURE.

FROM THE GROUND, IT LOOKS LIKE A DIFFERENT AIRCRAFT.

Romano: WE HAD DEFINITELY TAKEN SOME MEASURES

TO DISGUISE OURSELVES AS SOMETHING OTHER THAN A B-52.

Narrator: THE CREWS FLY STEADILY FOR NINE HOURS.

OVER THE MEDITERRANEAN, THEY MEET WITH A TANKER TO REFUEL.

[RADIO CHATTER]

SUDDENLY, THEY NOTICE THEY HAVE COMPANY.

Romano: WHEN WE WERE FLYING ALONG,

JUST GETTING ON TO OUR SECOND AIR REFUELING,

MY ELECTRONIC WARFARE OFFICER NOTIFIED ME

THAT THERE WAS ENEMY AIRCRAFT IN THE AREA.

Narrator: THE AIRCRAFT IS AN UNKNOWN FIGHTER JET...

WITH THE B-52 CLEARLY IN ITS SIGHTS.

Romano: IF THEY WERE GOING TO DO ANYTHING,

THEY COULD HAVE TWO AIRCRAFT AT THE PRICE OF ONE.

Narrator: THE B-52 CREWS WAIT NERVOUSLY

AS THEIR AIRCRAFT DRINKS.

THE FIGHTER CIRCLES NEARBY.

THE B-52 CAN DO PLENTY OF DAMAGE TO ANYTHING ON THE GROUND.

IN THE AIR, IT DOESN'T STAND A CHANCE.

Romano: FOR 55 MINUTES,

WE WERE, YOU KNOW, GETTING THAT GAS FROM THE TANKER.

IT WAS SO CRITICALLY IMPORTANT TO GET THIS FUEL,

OTHERWISE WE COULDN'T MAKE IT TO OUR DESTINATION

WHERE WE NEEDED TO LAUNCH THOSE MISSILES.

Narrator: FINALLY, THE B-52s GET OFF THE PUMP

AND HEAD ON THEIR WAY.

THE UNKNOWN JET CONTINUES TO FOLLOW.

NEAR THE LIBYAN BORDER, THE FIGHTER VEERS OFF.

THE B-52'S COVER IS BLOWN,

ADDING EXTRA URGENCY TO THEIR MISSION.

Romano: SINCE THEY ACTUALLY VISUALLY IDENTIFIED US,

IT WAS IMPERATIVE TO GET THERE

AS QUICKLY AND AS SAFELY AS POSSIBLE

SO WE CAN GET THOSE MISSILES OFF OF OUR AIRCRAFT.

Narrator: 16 HOURS AFTER TAKEOFF,

THE B-52s CROSS INTO SAUDI ARABIA.

THEY APPROACH THEIR LAUNCH POINT.

Romano: WE KNEW IT WAS CRUNCH TIME,

AND THIS WAS THE MAKE OR BREAK OF THE MISSION RIGHT HERE.

Narrator: THE PILOTS STEADY THE MASSIVE BOMBER.

NAVIGATORS PLUG IN LAST-MINUTE COORDINATES.

THEY LOCK ON TO THEIR TARGETS AND FIRE.

Romano: WHEN THE MISSILE WAS LAUNCHED,

THERE WAS A LITTLE BIT OF A SHIFT

BECAUSE EACH MISSILE WEIGHED A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF POUNDS,

AND YOU DEFINITELY CAN FEEL A LITTLE JOLT

ONCE THE MISSILE DEPARTED THE AIRCRAFT.

Narrator: 15 MINUTES LATER,

THE MISSILES REACH THEIR TARGETS.

EACH ONE IS DEADLY ACCURATE.

THE IRAQI RADAR SITES ARE DESTROYED.

NOW, COALITION STRIKE PACKAGES CAN FINISH THE ATTACK.

Romano: IT WAS A PRETTY GOOD FEELING

TO KNOW THAT WE CAUSED A LOT OF HAVOC,

WE KNEW THE FIGHTERS CAN GET IN THERE SAFELY

AND TRY TO DO THEIR MISSION AS WELL.

Narrator: 35 HOURS AND 14,000 MILES AFTER TAKEOFF,

THE SECRET SQUIRREL BOMBERS ARRIVE BACK AT BARKSDALE.

THE MISSION IS ONE FOR THE RECORD BOOKS.

Romano: KNOWING THAT AN AIRPLANE CAN FLY THAT LONG,

35, 40 HOURS, IS REMARKABLE.

WE PROVED TO THE WORLD

THAT WE WERE A FORCE TO BE RECKONED WITH.

Karafantis: OPERATION DESERT STORM WAS, ARGUABLY,

THE MOST SUCCESSFUL AIR CAMPAIGN IN HISTORY,

AND THE B-52 PLAYED AN INTEGRAL PART IN THAT.

IT PERFORMED ALMOST 2,000 SORTIES;

IT RELEASED MORE THAN 72,000 POUNDS OF WEAPONS

AND DELIVERED ABOUT 25,000 TONS OF ORDNANCE.

Narrator: THE B-52 PROVES IT CAN TAKE OUT AN ENEMY

FROM OVER A THOUSAND MILES AWAY.

IN ITS NEXT MISSION, IT WILL HAVE TO PROVE

HOW WELL IT CAN DO WHEN IT GETS UP CLOSE.

2001.

OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM.

AFGHANISTAN.

U.S. SPECIAL FORCES COMBAT TALIBAN MILITANTS

IN THE MOUNTAINS OF ORUZGAN PROVINCE.

BUT THE DIFFICULT TERRAIN MAKES FOR EASY AMBUSHES.

U.S. FORCES ARE IN CONSTANT NEED OF IMMEDIATE AIR SUPPORT.

FIGHTER JETS HAVE LIMITED FLIGHT TIME AND WEAPON LOADS,

MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO PROVIDE EXTENDED SUPPORT

FOR THE GROUND TROOPS.

THE AIR FORCE PROPOSES A RADICAL SOLUTION... THE B-52.

THEY HOPE ITS LONG FLIGHT TIME CAN MAKE IT IDEAL

FOR CLOSE AIR SUPPORT IN THE SCATTERED TERRAIN.

Yenne: THE IRONY IS THAT THE B-52

WAS NEVER DESIGNED AS A CLOSE AIR SUPPORT WEAPON.

IT WAS DESIGNED FOR STRATEGIC AND NOT TACTICAL WARFARE.

Narrator: THE BUFF'S DESIGNS, MEANT FOR GLOBAL NUCLEAR WAR,

MAY ALSO MAKE IT PERFECT FOR BATTLEFIELD TACTICS.

THE SUPPORT CALLS FOR A CONSTANT AERIAL PRESENCE,

B-52s CIRCLING OVER TARGET AREAS FOR UP TO FOUR HOURS

AND REACTING TO THREATS IN REAL TIME.

Joseph Jones: CLOSE AIR SUPPORT IS TIME-SENSITIVE

AND IT'S REACTIVE.

Narrator: COLONEL JOSEPH JONES WAS A RADAR NAVIGATOR

DURING OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM.

Jones: THE ENVIRONMENT ALWAYS STAYS DYNAMIC.

THE TROOPS ARE MOVING, THE ENEMY IS MOVING,

OR YOUR TARGET IS MOVING.

Narrator: NOT LONG INTO PATROL,

JONES' B-52 RECEIVES ITS FIRST DISTRESS CALL.

IT'S COMING DIRECTLY FROM U.S. FORCES ON THE GROUND.

Jones: A 12-VEHICLE TALIBAN CONVOY

HAD TARGETED 35 FRIENDLY TROOPS.

THEY HAD BRACKETED OUR FRIENDLY FORCES ON THE GROUND,

AND WITHOUT IMMEDIATE ATTACK THEY WERE IN DANGER OF CASUALTY.

Narrator: THE B-52 IS ONLY TEN MINUTES FROM THE TROOPS.

BUT THE TALIBAN'S CONVOY IS CLOSING IN FAST.

IF THEY GET TOO CLOSE TO FRIENDLY FORCES,

THERE'S NOTHING THE B-52 CAN DO.

Jones: YOU HAVE TO DELIVER WEAPONS

IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO FRIENDLY FORCES.

YOU COULD ENDANGER YOUR OWN FORCES

IF NOT DELIVERED ACCURATELY AND PRECISELY.

Narrator: FROM 38,000 FEET

A MOVING CONVOY IS NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE TO HIT DIRECTLY.

THE B-52 MUST BE DEADLY ACCURATE

OR RISK TAKING OUT FRIENDLY FORCES.

[GUNFIRE]

HIGH OVER AFGHANISTAN,

A B-52 CREW LOOKS DOWN ON AN ENEMY CONVOY,

A CONVOY THAT'S HEADING STRAIGHT TOWARDS FRIENDLY TROOPS.

[GUNFIRE]

Jones: WE WERE ACUTELY AWARE ON OUR CREW

THAT IF WE WEREN'T ABLE TO REACT ACCURATELY AND QUICKLY

THAT THERE WAS GOING TO BE FRIENDLY CAUSALITIES.

Narrator: THE B-52 HAS 27 GRAVITY BOMBS LOADED IN ITS BOMB BAY.

THAT'S ENOUGH TO DO OVER A MILE OF DAMAGE.

Jones: WE WERE GOING TO COME IN FROM BEHIND THE CONVOY,

LAY A STRING OF WEAPONS DOWN ALONG THE CONVOY LINE.

Narrator: HITTING THE MOVING TARGET WON'T BE EASY:

JONES MUST RELEASE THE BOMBS

AT EXACTLY THE RIGHT TIME AND POSITION TO HIT THEIR TARGET.

Jones: WE HAD TO PREDICT WHERE THAT CONVOY WAS GOING TO BE

48 TO 53 SECONDS AFTER THE RELEASE FROM THE AIRPLANE

TO HIT A TARGET THAT WAS GOING TO MOVE ALMOST A MILE

AFTER WE HAD RELEASED OUR WEAPONS.

Narrator: WITH FRIENDLY FORCES NEARBY, IT'S A BIG RISK.

AND JONES WILL ONLY HAVE ONE SHOT.

Jones: WE NEVER HAD PREPARED TO STRIKE A MOVING TARGET EVER.

THIS WAS A SERIOUS HEADS-UP BALLGAME THAT WE WERE PLAYING.

Narrator: JONES TAKES ONE LAST LOOK AT THE CONVOY

AND RELEASES THE PAYLOAD.

27 BOMBS FLY OUT OF THE B-52 AND HIT THE GROUND HARD.

AS THE DUST CLEARS, JONES RADIOS DOWN TO THE TROOPS.

Jones: WE MADE SEVERAL CALLS AND GOT NO CALL BACK,

THERE WAS AN IMMEDIATE CONCERN

THAT THERE MAY HAVE BEEN A FRIENDLY FIRE INCIDENT,

WITH WHICH WE WERE THE GUILTY PARTIES.

[RADIO CHATTER]

Narrator: THEN THE RADIO CRACKLES TO LIFE.

Jones: AND ALL THE SUDDEN THE GROUND GUY COMES ON

AND THERE IS HOOTING AND HOLLERING IN THE BACKGROUND

AND LAUGHING, AND THIS GUY GOES, "WELL, THIS WAR'S OVER,

YOU JUST DESTROYED THAT ENTIRE CONVOY EN MASSE."

Narrator: THE THREATS NOW ELIMINATED, THE B-52 CLEARS OUT.

OVER THE NEXT MONTHS THE BUFF QUICKLY BECOMES

ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT CLOSE AIR SUPPORT AIRCRAFT

IN AFGHANISTAN.

Jones: IT MODIFIED THE WAY WE THINK ABOUT THAT AIRPLANE

AS A CLOSE AIR SUPPORT VEHICLE.

Narrator: 50 YEARS AFTER ITS CONSTRUCTION,

THE BUFF IS STILL ONE OF THE AIR FORCE'S TOP ASSETS.

Jones: THE B-52 IS JUST WAITING FOR THE NEXT OPERATION,

AND THAT NEXT OPERATION IS JUST AROUND THE CORNER.

Narrator: AUGUST 2015.

BOEING IS AWARDED A $46 MILLION CONTRACT

TO BRING ITS OLDEST BOMBER INTO THE DIGITAL AGE.

WHILE THE AIR FORCE HAS NEWER, MORE ADVANCED BOMBERS,

THEY STILL HEAVILY RELY ON THE 60-YEAR-OLD BUFF.

WITH 76 AIRFRAMES STILL IN SERVICE, ALL FROM THE 1960s,

THE REMAINING B-52s HAVE STOOD THE TEST OF TIME.

AND THEIR POWER IS STILL UNMATCHED.

NOW THE B-52 FLEET WILL BE UPGRADED

WITH NEW DIGITAL DISPLAYS, REAL-TIME SATELLITE DATA LINKS,

AND AN INCREASED SMART WEAPONS PAYLOAD.

Yenne: THE CONSTANT UPGRADES THROUGH ALL OF THESE DECADES

HAVE CONSISTENTLY RENEWED IT AS ALMOST AN ALL-NEW AIRPLANE

FOR EVERY DECADE IN WHICH IT'S BEEN OPERATIONAL.

Narrator: FROM A NUCLEAR DETERRENT

TO A PRECISION BOMBER.

Yenne: THE REMARKABLE THING ABOUT THE B-52

IS THAT IT HAS PERFORMED SO MANY DIFFERENT TYPES OF MISSIONS

OVER SO MANY YEARS.

Narrator: IT CAN GET TO ANY FIGHT WITHIN HOURS.

Romano: IT'S DEFINITELY A GLOBAL REACH AIRCRAFT.

IT CAN STRIKE ANYTIME, ANYWHERE, ANYHOW.

Narrator: AND DELIVER A PAYLOAD THAT STICKS.

Morriss: THE AMOUNT OF FIREPOWER THAT IT CAN CARRY

AT A GIVEN MOMENT

REALLY PROVES THAT IT IS A PLATFORM OF CHOICE.

Narrator: THE U.S. AIR FORCE PLANS TO USE THE BUFF

INTO 2040 AND BEYOND.

Romano: IT'S BEEN AROUND FOR A LONG TIME,

WE CONTINUE TO FLY IT,

AND WE'RE GOING TO BE CONTINUING TO FLY THIS AIRCRAFT

FOR A LONG TIME COMING.

Narrator: THE AIR FORCE'S HEAVY HITTER

WILL ALWAYS BE READY TO DELIVER THE KNOCKOUT PUNCH.

NO MATTER WHAT FUTURE THREATS APPEAR, THE B-52 IS READY.